title: Effects of piracetam on behavior and memory in adult zebrafish.
abstract: Piracetam, a derivative of γ-aminobutyric acid, exerts memory-enhancing and mild anxiolytic effects in human and rodent studies. To examine the drug's behavioral profile further, we assessed its effects on behavioral and endocrine (cortisol) responses of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)--a novel model species rapidly gaining popularity in neurobehavioral research. Overall, acute piracetam did not affect zebrafish novel tank and light-dark box behavior at mild doses (25-400mg/L), but produced nonspecific behavioral inhibition at 700mg/L. No effects on cortisol levels or inter-/intra-session habituation in the novel tank test were observed for acute or chronic mild non-sedative dose of 200mg/L. In contrast, fish exposed to chronic piracetam at this dose performed significantly better in the cued learning plus-maze test. This observation parallels clinical and rodent literature on the behavioral profile of piracetam, supporting the utility of zebrafish paradigms for testing nootropic agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience Program, Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Tulane Neurophenotyping Platform, Tulane University Medical School, 1430 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grossman
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Siddharth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaikwad
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Utterback
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dileo
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Allan V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kalueff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010889:Piracetam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010889:Piracetam